The Vanishing (Review)
The Vanishing Gives Butler a Role He Deserves.
Gerard Butler kicks off 2019 with The Vanishing, a thriller that actually focuses more on the Scotsman’s acting more than his ability to punch bad guys. He’s joined by an incredibly capable, all be it small, cast of actors who all deliver terrific performances that make this character-driven film all the more engrossing. That being said, I think any cast would have trouble with such
Director Kristoffer Nyholm cuts his teeth with his first feature film that tells the true tale of three lighthouse keepers that mysteriously went missing from the small island they were stationed at. Because of the lonely nature of their job, The Vanishing focuses on the relationships between the characters, played by Butler, Peter Mullan, and Connor Swindells. The three serve almost as generational gaps for each other with Mullan as the old warhorse teaching them everything he knows and Swindells as the young upstart eager to learn but short on the patience needed. Between them is Butler (who always seems just a better with his native accent) who keeps the peace between them all. It’s a lovely dynamic, so it’s all the more twisted when things get turned on their head.
Madness is a core theme when it comes to The Vanishing. Shortly through their tenure on the island, the three keepers encounter a deranged man washed up on shore with a sealed crate. He immediately attacks them forcing them to kill him in self-defense. The guilt racks at them, especially the youngest of them who was nearly killed by their attacker. However, it’s not the guilt of killing this stranger that ends up causing the group to fall apart, it’s the gold that’s in the crate. It’s almost enough to pay off the cost of their sins, that is until people coming looking for it. With the trio not only hiding their ill-begotten look and the murder they covered up the only question is, how far they’re willing to go and what it might cost them in the end?
Butler proves to be the backbone of The Vanishing since his character seems to handle the brunt of most scenes he’s in. He’s caught between apprentice and master, which is a difficult place to be with all the knowledge and half the respect deserved. However, his character handles that with ease given his good nature. Things take a turn though as he forced to kill in order to protect his friends on the island and he isn’t the same after that. Desperate to unload the guilt he carries, he blindly lashes out and vilifies the others, which is all the more dangerous given that he could murder them both without breaking a sweat. Then again, that’s the whole point of Butler being cast in the role. He’s a man with a kind smile, but also seems like the kind of man who could break you without a second fault. Butler does a lot with his natural charm and imposing physicality to provide a balancing point for the film.
The Vanishing is a film that takes its time in order for the characters to really establish themselves before the rug is ripped out from underneath them. The inciting incidents that lead to their downfall happen just far enough into the movie for their inevitable tumble from grace to unfold in such a way that never feels rushed. The characters don’t just snap under the pressure and alienation they’re feeling. It slowly builds and feels a lot like watching a kettle boil. It might be like it’s taking forever, but even watched carefully it still makes you jump when the moment finally arrives. It’s not a thriller in the same league as Searching or A Simple Favor, but it’s one that certainly pays off in the end.
Seeing Butler in such a film makes me wonder why he’s reduced to movies like Hunter Killer or Geostorm. Sure, they’re entertaining in their own way, but they don’t challenge him as an actor. Even action roles with richer characters would be a welcome change. The Vanishing relies so heavily on the actors and the details they embrace in the portrayals of their characters that there’s no arguing with their skills. However, it’s greatest weaknesses are that it comes dangerously close to being boring and doesn’t seem to really know how to end. As enjoyable, as it was I found The Vanishing to be a bit unsatisfying in the end. Still, it’s a movie that has more than enough merits for me to recommend it for anyone looks for a slow burn film with solid performances and an intriguing premise.
